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02 February 2013

Wellness Words Jewelry Challenge & Focusing on Life

Thanks to Miss Tracy Statler of Make Bracelets for hosting this awesome blog hop!

Last year I had been considering something similar when I got a suggestion from someone to do so, but I already do enough hops (sign ups are on for the 2nd Annual Challenge of Music - join me!) to add this. But it is such a great idea, so I am very happy that the lovely Miss Tracy did! I hope she makes this an annual thing! (hint, hint ;-)

Since words are my 'thing,' this was right up my alley. And I had just chosen my word for the year

Of course I had to go with my Simple Truths. I have long wanted to offer a pendant or charm to those who choose a word of the year to frame their steps on the journey with a simple talisman that they could wear. I have bezels in all shapes and sizes and metal finishes, but of course, I thought that I needed something different.

I found the perfect bezel from Nunn Designs.

Since the focus would be on just One Word, I wanted something simple but not too large. The loops at the top and bottom were ideal so that it could be used as a bracelet bar or in a necklace or as a pendant. And the pretty stamped back was an added bonus. I thought that perhaps if I liked them that others might as well and they would be able to order their own word.

So, of course, I bought them in my favorite three metal colors: antique copper, antique silver and antique gold. And as luck would have it, two of the colors were on back order, or I would have had this done a lot sooner to offer. But there is always next year! I do have all the colors now and will work on some designs and patinas to offer them in for my shop this spring. But custom orders are always an option!

Copper is my favorite. So I stamped the word b a l a n c e in the center using a much larger and deeper set of stamps than normal (so if someone wants one of these, I would have to figure out what stamp might work best for their word - but I have about a dozen of them! Have you learned that about me, that if one is great, 12 is even better?).

Now, I could finish this in my usual bright color style, but I have been having fun playing with the Swellegant line of patinas and knew that I had to use that. I wanted to make it look like one solid piece of metal. I apologize for the delay in having my post ready, as I had to focus on one of my Big Rocks last night (my family - we traveled to see my son and his team win their basketball games about an hour away), and then got a migraine (health - another of my Big Rocks) so my creative time (one of my most precious Big Rocks) was compromised. And patinas take time.

Originally, the thought was a bracelet. What a silly idea! I don't wear them that often and I find them a challenge to create, so I went with a necklace instead and dreamed about it all the way back in the car last night. I remembered that I had the perfect beads - drilled Michigan beach stones - that would work perfectly with my cairn of stacked rocks image. (BTW, I see that AllyBeans is having a 20% off sale through this weekend only. Good time to stock up on your rocks!)

The Key To Balance

I found this tiny luggage key in a bag of keys I picked up at an antique
store. Not liking shiny silver anything, I played with the Swellegant
patinas.

In my embarrassingly massive stash of art beads, I found this tiny
enameled heart lock from C-Koop. By the way, I am on a self-imposed bead diet and already I have cheated. (Thanks, Miss Malin!) One of my Biggest Rocks is to create out of the chaos that is my studio and use what I have. It really is too much for one person.

The wellness word pendant I created and
the solid copper chain that I patina-ed still need to cure a bit and
maybe have more applied before I can finish it with a sealer, but you
get the idea.

The stack of rocks is kinetic and can spin, something I am sure that I will play with when I
wear it. This necklace is long, so no need for a clasp.

I know that I will wear it with everything, since it is in such neutral tones. I can already tell that I will hold onto this as a touchstone to remind me of my need for b a l a n c e in my life and that if I don't put the Big Rocks first, the rest will not fit.

Thank you Miss Tracy for inviting me to play! Please go and see what the other 50 designers did for their Wellness Words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Additionally, it is week four for the Focusing on Life challenge hosted by Miss Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime. Our task this week was to find a heart. I struggled with that until I realized that I had just made a few wee Lovey-Dovey Owl pendants for my shop. These will be listed later today in case you are interested in them for your favorite Valentine! ;-*

44 comments:

Erin I love how those beach stones mimic your picture so perfectly and your deeply stamped pendant is to die for with those beautiful, natural copper patinas. I'd love to be a fly on the wall of your studio space miss Erin. Thank you so much for participating!

The necklace---PERFECTION!!! Just like everything you create! Love visiting your blog, you always inspire me. :) I found it odd, for lack of a better word at the moment, that bracelets are difficult for you. I never noticed you didn't make many and never dreamed anyone with your talent had a block with anything. I love how you interpret ideas! I, too, would like to be a fly on your studio wall!!

The necklace---PERFECTION!!! Just like everything you create! Love visiting your blog, you always inspire me. :) I found it odd, for lack of a better word at the moment, that bracelets are difficult for you. I never noticed you didn't make many and never dreamed anyone with your talent had a block with anything. I love how you interpret ideas! I, too, would like to be a fly on your studio wall!!

As usual, I had to wipe the drool off the keyboard while looking at your jewelry and lovely pendants!! I love your word choice and those owls with hearts(owls are one of my totem animals!) are so super cute I can't even tell you how big my smile was when I saw them! Awesome photos, too!!

Those heart owls are so cute! And I LOVE the necklace. SImple, pretty, easy to wear with just about anything.....I am with you also - if one is great, twelve is undoubtedly fabulous! I had calm as my word last year. I failed.....! And so rather than bring failure and the guilt associated with it on my head, I haven't picked one this year. I keep pondering whether I should....but for me, it was like a NY resolution - it just made me feel bad that I had NOT managed to achieve it!

I love seeing what artists create just for themselves and this necklace is just so wonderful on so many levels...the stones..oh...love those...so zen..and beautiful in their not faceted, clean and simple way. And those bezels are beautiful...but your work is so apropos for talismen work...or touchstones...gentle reminders to be aware of what we are trying to internalize...really beautiful work!!

I love how you were able to translate your word for the year and the rocks into a necklace to wear, that is so cool! I really like all the components you have but the balance charm and the rocks are perfect, I could see myself fiddling with the rocks as I was thinking too! Making custom word charms is a fantastic idea! The coloring you used along with the bezel are great!

Firstly I love the picture you have chosen to illustrate your word of the year. Then I absolutely adore the little cairn of rocks replicated on the necklace. I need to investigate where I can get myself some of those! Your use of the patinas to add colour was the perfect finishing touch.

Your necklace really speaks to me. I think that the idea of balance and the calm that comes from it transfers so well from the first photo to the necklace. Excellent deign!As well, the hearts are so fab in the owls. They are almost hidden as I don't think would have noticed them had you not pointed them out. Of course, I'm also a little distracted right now too.

Love the contrast of your post! First this gorgeous wear-with-anything necklace followed by such a hit of glowing colour. Now that's a balance! I think stones are a perfect choice too, you were already working with that imagery and I think it's a wonderful connection to earth. Oh and about if 1 is good 12 is better - I immediately thought of the M*A*S*H* episode where they are trying to get an autoclave and argue along the lines of let us have one you have three. With reply - If I let you have one then I will only have two, two not as good as three... My home was always filled with "MASH quotes" growning up

Your necklace sure is perfect, Miss Erin! I love the texture of the stacked rocks, the tactile factor of those and the fact they are a perfect match for your theme. I love the color of the patinas and the natural look of your handmade pendant. I'm betting you will be wearing this all the time. I know I would!

I also absolutely adore your Balance necklace for the Wellness Words challenge. Love the rocks. I too have an embarrassingly massive stash of art beads! Can't help it, I am addicted to artisan beads! :)

Your necklace is super. I think your image of the balanced stones is so fitting since it is a pragmatic approach to your goal. No hard and fast rules, just what works at a given time. I agree I would wear that necklace all the time too!!

Balance - always striving for that! The textures in the patina and enamel along with the pendant are fabulous! I'll have to try those swellegant patinas. Oh wait, I'm on an art supply diet also. Almost forgot. :)

Erin, I enjoyed your post, as always. The necklace you created is beautiful, and I like how you included not only the rocks (so great to touch and full of symbolism), but also your own art bead for the pendant. Balance is a super word to focus on - it sure resonates with me as well. And I had to smile when I read the description of your bead stash as "embarrassingly massive!". :-)

Hi Erin, your necklace is beautiful...love the colors, the bezel and all the other components that you added! Thank you again for taking the time to create my special little pendant too...I will be wearing it to Florida for our Cousin retreat! Suzette

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